Kent and Medway has the lowest ratio of GPs to patients in the country, new figures have shown.

The area ranks as the lowest in the UK in terms of the number of GPs per 100,000 registered patients.

The average number across England is 60, while Kent has just 39.8 – down 12% from 2015.

On tonight's live-streamed episode of The Lowdown our host Laoise Gallagher was joined by Jessica Tuffield from the Sepsis Alliance.

They joined KMTV's Katya Fowler to discuss the ongoing situation.

Dr Jack Jacobs, an Ashford GP, said there were "a number of factors" that influenced the area's ability to "train and retain" new GPs.

"In some ways [the figures] does reflect the geography of the country, in that we are quite isolated," he explained.

"I think it does reflect the stressful nature of the work as well."

A new medical school is being built at the University in Kent and Dr Jacobs said he was hopeful that this would help convince new GPs to stay in the area.

"There is now a real recognition that we need to do more to attract not just GPs, but healthcare staff across the board," he added.

"I hope that having better schools gives optimism in that respect."

The Lowdown is a daily show live-streamed Monday to Thursday at 6pm here on KentOnline, Facebook, Twitter and KMTV.